1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer generated paper forms and, more particularly, to a program and a method by which information can be encoded on a printed form such as to allow the information to be inserted into an electronic form, with the information placed in the corresponding field of the form through the use of a visually encoded image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Software packages exist that enable information to be input into a database via custom-designed electronic forms. Such a procedure could be used by an information collector (IC) to collect information from information providers (IPs) by having the latter fill out electronic forms on the Internet. For example, a company could make its employment application forms available in electronic form for applicants to fill out online. A limitation of this method is that it requires the IC to maintain an online presence, and can only be used by those IPs with computers and access to the Internet; the remaining IPs must use printed forms which must also be provided by the IC. The present invention overcomes this limitation by enabling IPs to use electronic forms without requiring the IC to maintain an online presence.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related.
The following patents disclose a method and apparatus for capturing a document image:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,680, issued in the name of Luther et al; and
U.S. Pat. No. 5,877,963, issued in the name of Leung et al.
The following patents describe the method and system for high-speed, high resolution, 3-D imaging of an object at a vision station:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,997, issued in the name of Svetkoff et al.; and
U.S. Pat. No. RE 36,560, issued in the name of Svetkoff et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,181,441, issued in the name of Walsh, discloses a multi-scanning system and method for stitching overlapped image data by varying stitch locations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,175,841, issued in the name of Loaicono, describes a computerized system for producing on-line instructional materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,771, issued in the name of Bloomberg, discloses a method and article of manufacturing for determining whether a scanned image is an original or fax image.
And, U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,845, issued in the name of Gusmano, describes a high speed resolution platen screening system using a plurality of scanning units.
Consequently, there is a need for software program, and a method, by which information can be transmitted and encoded to be inserted onto a printed form, with the information placed in the corresponding field of the form.